Night Mother

When:

Friday, February 21, 2014 - 7:30pm

Location:

Center for the Arts

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Department of Performing and Visual Arts’ Theatre and Pioneer Players will present Marsha Norman’s play, “’night Mother” on Feb. 19-22 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 22-23 at 2 p.m. General admission is $9, $8 for faculty/staff/seniors and $5 for students.

The Benefit Wednesday performance will be Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. All tickets for the benefit are $3, and the proceeds will go to the Platteville Food Pantry and the Platteville Fire Department. All performances are in the Center for the Arts Theatre.

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1983, Marsha Norman's play follows the story of Jessie and her mother, Thelma. At the beginning of the play, Jessie announces to her mother that, at the end of the evening, she plans to kill herself. What unfolds is a real-time, dramatic and heart-wrenching exercise as Thelma attempts to stop her daughter from going through with her plan. This play is recommended for mature audiences.

“This play is hard to sit through because the stakes are so high,” said Dr. Ann Farrelly, associate professor of theatre and the play’s director. “The desperation and relentlessness of the mother set against the firm resolve of the daughter makes for an emotional punch in the gut.”

The cast includes UW-Platteville students Emily Cushing as Thelma and Rachael Lester as Jessie. Theatre major Forrest Carufel is the stage manager. Resident costume designer Sarah Strange provides the costume design and assistant professor of theatre, Jeffrey Strange, serves as technical director.

The rest of the design team is made up of students: Nina Kenefick (scenic design), Steve Owings (lighting design), Lucas Pawelski (sound design) and Amanda Nerby (props design).

“One of the really exciting aspects of this production is the number of students involved from a design standpoint,” said Farrelly. “This is truly a showcase of our students’ fine work.”

For tickets and information, call the CFA Box Office at (608) 342-1298.